The Sports Thread (3)

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510 Responses to “The Sports Thread (3)”

This could have been predicted from a mile away. I’m pretty sure I mentioned the logic of joining Madrid before WC would create incredible pressure on his Madrid job. Julen has been a disaster. With Zidane & Ronaldo gone, Madrid is in a mess.

They’ve been awful all season. Losing Zidane & Ronaldo has hurt them. They didn’t replace Ronaldo and they will have to spend a huge amount to get Neymar. They bet big on Bale this season but he is injury prone & not consistent as Ronaldo.

Among current players, the only one threatening Kohli’s marks is Hashim Amla, who has so far scored 7696 runs in 166 innings (169 matches); at the same point, Kohli had 7460 runs. Since then Kohli has increased his average from 52.90 to a giddying 59.90, so Amla – who is more than five years older – will do well to keep up.

don’t think Amla will get there, specially given the age factor, but otherwise he seems to be keeping pace. But here’s another extract:

“Virat Kohli scorched past 10,000 runs in one-day internationals during his unbeaten 157 in the tied match against West Indies in Visakhapatnam last week. That was his 205th innings, in his 213th ODI. The next fastest to 10,000 was Sachin Tendulkar, who got there in his 259th innings (266th match). That means that Kohli could make ducks in his next 50 innings, and still have the most runs at that stage of an ODI career.”

So Kohli has 54 inning advantage over Sachin. But here’s the interesting thing. If you factor in Sachin’s promotion to opener (before this he was batting in the middle order and didn’t have the chance to score a huge number of runs) and when he right away made 82 in this role, you have more or less 55 innings. In other words that exact difference between the two. Now it could be that Kohli still scores more going forward but so far that difference accounts for Kohli’s lead as well.

comparing an opener with a middle over batsman is wrong. case in point rohit sharma is a world beater as an opener. field restrictions, harder cherry, no wickets lost. middle overs need consolidation. even Sachin was not as successful in the middle

False. Statistically if you’re batting 3 or lower you will automatically have better chance to stay not out. That’s precisely why guys like Bevan and Dhoni have big averages, along with ABDV and Kohli.

The top 10 odi run scorers ever; Tendulkar (opener), Sangakharra (middle order), Ponting (middle order), Jayasuriya (opener), Jayawardena/Inzi/Kallis (middle order), Ganguly (opener), Dravid/Lara (middle order), Dilshan (opener). You only have to look at the all-time list to know the stats. A quick and dirty exercise on openers Vs middle order on these top 10;
Opening AVE 39 (4 above batsman)
Middle Order AVE 40 (6 above batsman)
Opening % Not Out 8%
Middle Order % Not Out 14%

So already the average is higher by virtue of better chances of not outs. This is already contaminated by the fact that Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dilshan didn’t always open.

And they will always face the best bowlers up front. In fact the longer they stay the greater the probability of facing the opponent’s best bowlers. It’s much more likely that a middle order batsman face weaker bowling.

It’s logical the first 10-15 overs best fast bowlers bowl. A team will persist with best bowlers till a wicket falls. Only then can they switch tactics but it depends on match scenario i.e bowl weaker bowlers.

The only stat that benefits the opener is strike rate. 84 (opener) Vs 77 (middle order).

‘Run-scoring has become significantly easier in the middle overs, thanks to changes in ODI playing conditions, such as the use of two new balls and restrictions on field settings between overs 15 and 40, that have been tailormade to enable quicker scoring in this part of the innings. Improvement in cricket bats has also been a factor. All this explains, at least in part, the increase in century-making by middle-order ODI players.’

Tendulkar’s got 15/49 (31%). This itself inflates an average in favour of Kohli by virtue of likelihood of being not out.

Of course it’s likely that Tendulkar’s are bigger scores as he bats for more overs.

But if you’re doing this properly you strip out some extremely important data like not outs which is unfair to Kohli. Either way you do get to Jeeves point that comparing opener to middle order has its own systematic issues.

and again the point I like to keep underlining is that Tendulkar still isn’t playing a position he’s naturally suited for when he opens. He’s prospered doing so of course but it’s still an improbable mix, batting at 4 in one format, opening in another. The other thing I’d say is that batting at 3 or 4 in ODIs if get in early enough (without there being a collapse at the very top) the openers have seen off the initial spell of the fast bowlers. When they then come in later (assuming the captain doesn’t try a different mix) towards the end the one down or two down batsman has settled down enough (if he lasts that long). So there are all these factors. for Sachin I’d argue that he might have scored even more batting a bit lower down. Yes he could score a lot in the first 15 (field placements) but as he grew older and therefore physically off-peak he still had to face some very fast bowlers with the new ball. Indeed the pitches got easier around this time as well offsetting some of this disadvantage but again had he batted at 3 or 4 he would in most situations still have had enough of a chance because earlier on the Indian opening wasn’t often great and later when it did become more dependable a lot more runs were also being scored (so batsmen a bit lower down would still need to add a fair bit). And then there’s of course the all important ‘not out’ factor you’ve mentioned. I’m not saying he’d definitely do better a bit lower down but a case can be made for this. Whereas if you’re at 5 or 6 there’s really not much of a chance specially given how India used to do in ODIs in that period. But either way taking 5 years to promote Tendulkar in ODIs was just crazy. When the man was doing so well in tests. And again to repeat your point for a number of years now the rule changes in ODIs have tilted things even more towards the batsman. So you have even more flat tracks than was traditionally the case in ODIs and you have these rule changes. By the way also much shorter boundaries on average. This move was already afoot earlier but it really has become something of a joke the last 10-15 years. Finally Sachin played most of his peak period on a very weak Indian team. Now again as he got older the support helped his numbers in many ways. On the other hand what would have numbers been like if he’d had the same earlier. Bradman and Richards played on what are commonly considered the two greatest teams in history. Ponting played on a team where Bradman wagered Sachin would have averaged 80 (even if you think this is something of an exaggeration, even if you took off 10 or 20 runs you still have a much higher average). Kohli also plays on a team where because of the pitches the other players are lions most of the team (until of course you get to SA or Eng.. though those teams also don’t bat well enough in those situations.. so you’re still not at a big disadvantage.. it’s not as if you’re doing 250 and they’re getting 400 regularly.. by the way this too in tests.. in ODIs you have the flattest tracks imaginable these days, irrespective of country).

In any case these two are numbers that one has to factor into the stats. Because on its own an average or a SR or even a boundary percentage cannot factor all of this in. There are too many factors. Contextualization is way more complicated in cricket than most other sports I can think of. All of this isn’t an argument ‘for’ Tendulkar in some ‘fan’ sense. Or the 90s. Nor is it ‘against’ Kohli. It’s about accounting for everything. And it is certainly an argument against a disease of presentism (not saying Saket is doing this) where every new ‘great’ talent is automatically called the greatest without accounting enough for all these factors. In fact a lot of times the stats are designed to feed such an industry (driven my corporate sponsors and the like, this is true elsewhere as well to greater or lesser degrees). if Kohli were greater than Sachin I would have no issues accepting it. I’d retain my affection for Sachin and accept the obvious. Much as I’ve retained my affection for Sampras without arguing against the idea that Federer is the greatest.

So Kohli has 54 inning advantage over Sachin. But here’s the interesting thing. If you factor in Sachin’s promotion to opener (before this he was batting in the middle order and didn’t have the chance to score a huge number of runs) and when he right away made 82 in this role, you have more or less 55 innings. In other words that exact difference between the two.

But then one also has to discount Kohli’s initial 2-3 years where he was finding his feet and compare the runs scored after that initial incubation period as well. That comparison isn’t going to be very flattering to Tendulkar either.

@ Saket… Tendulkar will have a greater incubation & retirement age period combined than any legendary ODI batsman ever? How do you propose to accommodate for this if at all? His career is extremely unique in this sense. Peak % years will always be lower than Kohli whichever way you look at it. His stats get penalised fairly or unfairly on this score amongst many other factors mentioned already.

The retirement period should be labelled as his fault, just like any other cricketer who perhaps overstayed his welcome.

I can certainly understand the slightly longer gestation period, given that he played lower down the order. One can certainly account for this. Start the comparison when he started opening in ODIs, for instance

At the end of his 100th ODI, Rohit had scored 2480 runs, averaging 31.79, and had scored two centuries. In comparison, Tendulkar had 3146 runs at an average of 36.58, with four centuries.

Since then, Rohit’s average has increased rapidly, and is currently 47.37 with 21 centuries in 192 matches. At the same juncture, Tendulkar had 6872 runs at an average of 40.66 with 16 centuries. Since his 100th ODI, he has scored 4911 runs at an average of 62.96 and a strike rate of 96.71, with 19 centuries and as many fifties. Only Kohli has been more prolific, scoring 5692 runs at an average of 72.05 at a strike rate of 98.22, with 23 centuries and 25 fifties.

Currently, Rohit has 21 hundreds in 186 innings; only three batsmen have scored more centuries in 186 or fewer ODI innings.

Was posted by myselfaamir yesterday. Statistics are there to prove a hypothesis. To me Sharma is to Ganguly what Kohli’s to Tendulkar. Only Kohli is pretty much on a par with Tendulkar. Must admit have looked at more cricket stats over last few days than in years. The guy who’s record surprised me the most is Sehwag. It’s not on a par with what popular perception is but in saying that I would pick him to partner Tendulkar over Ganguly. Sometimes reputation supercedes stats.

I can’t recall him scoring on anything other than flat in ODIs. In Tests even there he will struggle if the attack is really good. He certainly has talent — remarkable consistency in the right conditions — but cannot be compared to Ganguly (who also was not a batsman for all seasons, but was enough of a fighter and had enough talent to get it done on a number of occasions, eg the test century in Brisbane in 2003. And of course he was dominant against spin).

It is such a pity, because as you correctly note Rohit is gorgeous to watch. Great shots and timing. Aside: Ian Chappell feels that he would do well in Australia where it won’t swing as much, and because he has a good “horizontal shot” game. I am skeptical (Rohit I think lacks mental toughness, not talent) but obviously Ian C knows a thing or two about this stuff!

Rohit Sharma has a serious technical flaw in his batting. There’s a certain blind-zone in his batting because of his trigger movement that makes him vulnerable to both the inswing or the outswinging delivery. It doesn’t get too exposed on flat decks because he can trust the trajectory of the ball and play accordingly. When the ball moves, even slightly, his technique gets exposed.

Bowlers in IPL have been clever to target this — just look at the amount of LBWs and clean-bowled dismissals in the last two editions. In fact he had to move down the order to avoid this particular mode of dismissal as the ball swings a lot at the Wankhede, at least initially.

Probably is true…and indirectly have been arguing this point. The bowlers Tendulkar faced are in a different stratosphere even if Kohli is in Tendulkar’s universe. Comparing Tendulkar’s stats to Kohli’s like for like is very flawed.

These are career ending wickets for the bowlers that faced Tendulkar so it is an unfair snapshot. If one were to figure out how many wickets these bowlers had when Tendulkar reached 10,000 runs it would be fair. I checked Murali only. So this caption is false in terms of timing or alternatively do the bowlers Kohli has faced stand a chance of reaching these kinds of wicket tallies? Seriously doubt it.

There are certain rules. Amongst them, a player who has not taken in international tournaments for 5 years is considered for Hall of Fame provided he fulfills other requirements.
By that condition, Virat Kohli will not be eligible for another 5 or more years and he has to wait. Sachin maybe the next as the 5 year condition will be fulfilled within a couple of months.
Saurav Ganguly lost the honour it seems. And Dhoni will be waiting in the wings.

Virat shouldn’t mar his talent by speaking like a jackass: the audience of cricket fans is NOT the same as the usual imbeciles who clog up social media with all sorts of coarse behavior (glad he is being taken to task by so many Indian fans for this). And he isn’t even an ordinary player but the Indian captain (earlier also, in connection with an AIB interview, he had said very disrespectful things about Sri Lankan cricket, and how he considers it a holiday when they play Sri Lanka; I’ll leave aside the question of what the team has even achieved on his watch, with no major ODI or T20 tournament victories since Dhoni captained India to a Champions Trophy win in 2013; no overseas test series wins of any consequence; etc.), and he should realize that he is the custodian of the country’s image. This sort of crude rhetoric is unhelpful. Not to mention that it testifies to an un-democratic mindset — and we have seen plenty of evidence of that from his captaincy in recent times as well.

This is a classic exhibit for why I’ve never had any room for nationalism in my heart and mind. I’ll support sports teams for these reasons and be very invested in them but it doesn’t extend beyond this. I think one can be attached to the country one grows up in (which is different from one’s ‘native’ country in the more commonly understood sense..) without being ‘nationalistic’ in any easy way. Now of course it’s always difficult to separate these things because the discourses of nationalism mark everything else in all sorts of ways but still there are distinctions. Anyway I won’t repeat longer comments from the past on all this. But I’d even go so far as to say that those who grow up outside their ‘native’ (the country of their parents and ancestors) countries are in a privileged position. At least from my perspective. Because they grow up as ‘minorities’ one way or the other and even if they might be attached to these countries they can never take them for granted in the same way. A minimal distance keeps them away from all the cheapest nationalisms. Of course I’m not forgetting that there are always ‘natives’ in any country who too are ‘minorities’. Not just as a numerical matter but in a larger ideological sense. Native Americans (Indians!) in the US cannot ever fully belong to a state that is premised on the destruction of their culture. Or African Americans can never be less than skeptical about one also founded and nurtured on slavery for so long.

getting back to Kohli’s comment I guess he’d be upset if an Indian preferred a Hollywood movie to an Indian one. Presumably he’d be ok if a Tamilian preferred Murali Vijay to him [Kohli] for the same nativist reasons. I wonder what Kohli thinks about people who hold their weddings in Italy or honeymoon outside India.

I think he is trying to be funny..But then he is 30 year old ..I guess I probably would have been talking in similar way around that age…limelight and achievements don’t make you a mature person. Sometimes we expect too much from Alias, Sonams and Ranbirs of the world because they have achieved (or became famous) something so early in life…

For the same troll comment, my guess is, Dravid would have laughed it off in a self-deprecating manner. Tendulkar would have refused to say anything. Ganguly would have gone ballistic and the same probably goes for Laxman as well. Judging by their public responses over the years.

I saw Tendulkar’s episode in Breakfast with Champions..He has become more relaxed after retirement…liked his “Topi” comment in the show. Dravid has always been gentleman..we have seen hint of aggressiveness while playing in some adverse situation but mostly calm..He went to Pakistan dressing room to give pep talk when India’s U19 defeated Pakistan team comprehensively.

He got triggered by the line I prefer watching English or Australian batsmen than these INDIAN…that’s where he makes a weird face as well.

I think Kohli is light-years away from Dravid’s league as a gentleman cricketer, but he has displayed his liberal side in the past by befriending Mohd Aamir (or Afridi, for that matter). In fact he didn’t even directly criticize the latter after his remark on Kashmir.

The comment doesn’t come out right especially when he stops using cricketer and just using Indian..I also don’t think it makes him liberal because he is friends with Pakistani players; I have seen many right wingers have Muslim friends and vice versa.

Kohli also went to that Muslim players house in Hyderabad (I forget his name) when the IPL season was on. He had a very traditional meal with him seated on the ground. The parents looked like very traditional types (let’s say the kinds Desai could have used for his Muslims!). Loved that move from him because precisely in contemporary India that was an important gesture. Of course it must also be said that there are liberals who nonetheless also indulge in nationalist platitudes.

I guess trolling isn't for me guys, I'll stick to getting trolled! 😁I spoke about how "these Indians" was mentioned in the comment and that's all. I’m all for freedom of choice. 🙏 Keep it light guys and enjoy the festive season. Love and peace to all. ✌😊

I guess trolling isn’t for me guys, I’ll stick to getting trolled! 😁 I spoke about how “these Indians” was mentioned in the comment and that’s all. I’m all for freedom of choice. 🙏 Keep it light guys and enjoy the festive season. Love and peace to all. ✌😊

And just to be clear, Kohli’s on-field shenanigans are much worse. The way he reacted to Joe Root’s mic-drop is one such instance. It’s a pity no one calls him out for that kind of boorish behavior. He comes across as an emotional fool on the cricket field.

In this instance, he tried to be a smartass. Turned out to be less smart, more ass, but surely, he didn’t deserve the kind of roasting he received from certain quarters.

I guess trolling isn't for me guys, I'll stick to getting trolled! 😁I spoke about how "these Indians" was mentioned in the comment and that's all. I’m all for freedom of choice. 🙏 Keep it light guys and enjoy the festive season. Love and peace to all. ✌😊

The unfair targeting of Kohli just shows how statements are twisted according to whatever suits the agenda of people. He has publicly in the past admired sportsman from across the globe & his statement clearly was in a certain context.But mischievous targeting is a norm for a few

Virat Kohli got emotional and lost control with fan: Viswanathan Anand
Viswanathan Anand felt that enough was written about it and it’s better not to pile anything more to it.

“I think he lost control. He got a bit emotional and he just said the first thing that came to his mind,” Anand, one of India’s greatest sporting icons, told PTI on the sidelines of the Tata Steel Chess here. “That’s the attitude he is comfortable with. In sport, you see all characters and this is the character that fits him best. “I try to be myself and in the end you should be comfortable in your own skin,” he added.

The 48-year-old chess icon, however, felt that enough was written about it and it’s better not to pile anything more to it. “Maybe Kohli was caught at a weak moment, feeling a bit sensitive and was not in the best mood maybe. That’s my impression. Then he lost control of it,” Anand said.

The soft-spoken Anand further said it’s natural to get emotional and that he too had lost it once in a while. “People are emotional and they lose control once in a while. It has happened to me even if I was more successful in not showing it. But there are moments when your emotions take over,” he said. “He has got enough criticism already. It’s over. Those who did not like it, already criticised him so no need to keep piling on it.”

And I will absolutely be mortified if I don’t get to watch either Federer or Djokovic. In the ideal world it would be them in the final. But they might face each other in semi so at least that guarantees one in the final. Federer just needs one set today.

Anyway Federer won 2-0 so very likely to avoid Djokovic. I just hope these 2 don’t pull a TOH on me and leave me an Anderson Vs Cilic/Zverev final on Sunday. My first ever tennis match live could be Federer Vs Djokovic in a final with FedEx chasing his 💯!

Well i didn’t get to see Federer live but maybe I watched the next big thing absolutely destroy Djokovic. Zverev was absolutely scintillating and what a charming character on the mic. Fans were horrible to him on Saturday but here the crowd ate him up. He’s got the game to dominate but can he do it over 5 sets?

I don’t know much about women’s cricket to comment on this. But I did watch Smriti Mandhana smash 83 runs of 50 odd balls in the game against Australia. I was gobsmacked watching her utterly dismantle the opposition. She hit some huge sixes. Very elegant to watch too!

According to CricViz Fielding Impact—which considers the difficulty of the event & the batsman dismissed—Khawaja's catch to dismiss Kohli was worth +33.75 runs and Cummins' run out of Pujara was worth +31.43 runs. That's +65 runs earned with two fielding events alone. #AUSvIND

I saw a stat somewhere that Pujara met milestones of Dravid 3000,4000 and 5000 runs in same # of innings. That’s some coincidence if true. Pujara is grossly underrated, he must bat for India as he is a proper test batsman.

I must have missed the comments for why Pujara has been dropped before. Test cricketer key character is not intent IMO. That is more for T20. Surely in test cricket it’s reliability or something like that! Not every test cricketer can have an X factor like Kohli or Sehwag.

Pujara is a proper test batsman, surely India can afford one position for him!

read somewhere that rohit is selected in the team as he can change the game in a session. i would say he does in a ball by getting out. his 3 centuries have come at home on flat tracks againsy genuinely weak attacks. suresh raina 2.0??

On the wire!! What a thrilling test match! And THIS’S why test match is the most exciting and purest form..Until Shaun Marsh was at the crease, it was in doldrums. [He has batted out the fifth day in Dubai.] Once he’s gone, it was kind of sealed…

Indian batting is always suspect on bouncy and fast pitches..It is just that Australia batting has weakened otherwise they would have been easily winning the series. Their bowling is still potent. Tail enders gave scare yesterday..I have said in past coach and captain are clueless on how to deal with them..thet lost two tests in England precisely because of that..And the guy with “no intent” is winning test match for you!

India at a minimum should have ensured a draw here. Hopefully Aussies have 1 or 2 bad sessions. The series is familiar to 03-04. India took a lead that time too and had chances in final test to win in Waugh’s final test.

How was Ashwin a ‘poor show’ at Adelaide where he scored 25 very crucial runs and forged an important partnership with Pujara which ultimately proved to be the difference in India winning the match!! As a bowler, he was the best of the lot as he not only took vital wickets but also kept it very tight without giving away any easy runs returning with figures of 6 for 149 in 87 overs. He was just behind Pujara in terms of overall impact on the game tilting it in India’s favour.

And how many did ‘Lyon’ pick in the first test?? He returned with 8 for 205 in 70 overs, his average was more, economy almost twice than that of Ashwin!! And Lyon is playing at home while Ashwin away in the very first test match of the series trying to acclimatise himself, btw you didn’t mention or hint Virat’s failure in the first test match at all??

Anyway #3 & #4 are doing opener duties today, seeing off new ball. Maybe #5 & #6 will do the job of #3 & #4. If we go full circle, the tail will wag and everything will work out. This is Ravi Shastri’s strategy I think.

time has come for vijay to go out of the team. his replacement will b shaw.. n kl rahul though talented need a kick in his ass to keep on ruining his own chances. he seems lost in middle as to play aggressive or defensive… indecisive fellow in a test will do more harm than good… either b shehwag or dravid.. pandya is missed here..

Yes, the first one from India to have won this tournament, truly a spectacular feat!! Feeling very proud the way she played in the tournament without losing a single match, she along with Saina has brought this game close to the Indian public in a big way, not to forget Sameer Verma’s valiant effort in the semifinal losing it from the match point unfortunately!! But nonetheless amazing display from these two:

I haven’t seen it but it mostly depend upon soft signal..which IMO is wrong way to prejudge..The ground umpire obviously have no clue from that distance so they have no business giving soft signal…It should be left to third umpire..Also the no of frames are not enough to figure if fingers are indeed below the ball…

Sachin, Sehwag, Ganguly, Yuvi, Raina could bowl fairly. While the first three were better than anyone in current lineup purely as a batsmen, our current batsmen think they can hold their place with limited skill?

NEW DELHI: Actor Naseeruddin Shah has triggered a controversy by calling Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli ‘world’s worst behaved player’, even as he called him the world’s best batsman in a Facebook post. Shah’s remark came in the wake of Kohli’s last month social media video in which he asked a fan to leave India.
Kohli slammed a fan who said that he liked watching English and Australian batsmen more than the current Indian players after which he had faced a backlash on social media.
Taking to Facebook, the actor wrote: “Virat K is not only the worlds best batsman but also the worlds worst behaved player. His cricketing brilliance pales beside his arrogance and bad manners.. And I have no intention of leaving the country by the way”

I am in complete agreement with Nasseruddin Shah as his on field shenanigans leave a bad taste despite his outstanding batsmanship. Though many call it aggression, I’d differ and call his on field over the top & unnecessary as his shouting & abuse-hurling at the drop of the hat in no way helps his team’s cause but rather it distracts his own team by putting an additional pressure on them. Sachin is Sachin not only because of his batting but also due to his behaviour & Ganguly was the harbinger who introduced aggression into Indian team but it was never in your face and so over the top all the time. Most of the times Virat’s actions are cringeworthy without any reason.

I’d also like to talk about how his behaviour must be messing up with a lot of youngsters impressionable minds as he is on the top of his game breaking records right left and center, making him the role model in their eyes but also making them prone to emulating his boorish behaviour as some sort of ‘model code of conduct’ which is very detrimental to them and to the game as well.

I think Kohli plays a lot of mind games and backs it up on field as well with his performance. It’s a different matter that India lost Perth but it was surely not a submissive performance despite poor form of opening batsmen and lack of a spinner.

Kohli does over do things sometimes but calling him worst behaved cricketer is harsh. I like his aggression and think he brings a lot of character via his emotions.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has come forward and declared that Virat is the best batsman he has ever seen.

“I have not seen a better player (than Kohli),” Vaughan told Fox Sports.

“I’m not disrespecting Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara or Ricky Ponting but across three formats of the game I have not seen anyone better.”

“He has such high skill levels and an incredible mentality when it comes to dealing with the pressure of the chase. All that while dealing with a weight of expectation and adulation that only Sachin would have experienced.”

Virat Kohli is recognised as the best batsman in the world right now. There was a debate with Steve Smith as to who was the better Test cricketer but after Smith’s ban but that debate died a natural death. There was talk with Ab de Villiers as to who is the best limited-overs batsman but that debate also came to an end after de Villiers’ retirement. Virat is a constant whenever a there is a talk of the best batsman in the world.

He proved his masterclass again when he scored his 25th Test Century in the first innings of the second Test against Australia in Perth. He is really used to breaking records by now but with that hundred, Virat broke some more records. With his sixth century in Australia, Virat tied with Sachin Tendulkar as the overseas player with most hundreds in Australia.

I hope not. Pochettino will be favourite but with a new stadium, better position in league, greater likelihood of CL football next season I hope he stays…But I have a feeling his time at Spurs is coming to an end soon.

I’ve had this discussion a lot with non spurs fan and spurs ones. I keep changing my own mind! If this was 2013, it’s a no brainer! Spurs are in a fantastic situation now, United aren’t and he can really achieve something at Spurs. I’ve heard from one that if the naming rights get sold for circa £200mm that will be given to Pochettino. It’s Levy’s 2nd priority after completing stadium. Then a potential equity raise could be used to pay down debt or again for Pochettino. These guys hopefully are in the know.

One of our loans is/was the loan to Glazers for Manchester United! So we have to be football experts at work! Manchester United absolutely have to get it right sooner or later and I think Poch is their best bet but Levy holds most of the cards right now. And he’s the last chairman in the world you want to play cards with!

LOL. Hopefully OGS gives a sense of false hope! It would be a great joke if Spurs won by not buying a single player! But I think it’s Liverpool and I have never hated a team more than Liverpool so I hope City comeback now.

The expectations are pretty low with Solskjaer. As long as he gets United playing decent football, fans are happy. But you’re right, Liverpool it is this season sadly. City’s campaign is pretty much derailed. No offence but Spurs somehow seem to bottle it the moment the title is within reach. This happened when Leicester won a couple of seasons ago IIRC. It will be pretty unbearable and I might need to stay away from Football sites for a while.

I agree. I believe here Australia were looking for history, some 17th test victory in a row. To declare, Dravid, Laxman to bat out an entire day which they repeated in Australia and Harbhajan to wrap up victory- it’s probably not just the best indian innings but arguably India’s greatest comeback in a test ever. Probably would be in top 5 tests of all time.

“There were around 20% minorities at the time of Partition in Pakistan, less than 2% remain now. On the other hand, minority population has grown significantly in India since Independence. Pakistan is the last country that should be lecturing any country on how to treat minorities,” Mohammad Kaif tweeted.

That’s a good day’s work by India. So glad they have stuck it out and maintain an interesting position to try to set a score above 400. Hopefully Pujara and Kohli score big on Day 2 and put India into a position where defeat is unlikely and they can go for a win.

Steyn has a strong case to be considered the greatest fast bowler ever. No bowler in the history of the game with more than 250 wickets has a lower strike rate than his 42 balls per wicket & he has succeeded all round the world in an era largely dominated by batsmen. #SAvPAKpic.twitter.com/8Uy0bv2nl8

That’s the NZ vs SL Test. NZ are way ahead in that one. He took 6 in 15 balls btw.

🏏 | Can we transport the Christchurch deck to the MCG overnight?Here's NZ seamer Trent Boult taking six wickets for four runs in the space of 15 balls against Sri Lanka. #NZvSL📽️: @FoxCricketpic.twitter.com/ENeMJF6zeX

Ponting praised Pujara for scoring his second century of the series, but said the innings will be remembered one of two ways at the end of the match.

“If India go on and win the game, it’ll be a great innings (but) if they haven’t got time to bowl Australia out twice … it could be what actually costs them the game,” Ponting told cricket.com.au.

“I think it’s always hard for India to push the run rate along when Pujara’s there.

“He’s just made another hundred, his second of the series, so he’s playing well and doesn’t really look like getting out. But he just locks himself in this little bubble where scoring doesn’t seem to faze him at all.

“They’ve got other guys in their side who are stroke-makers … but if those guys don’t come off, the scoring rate is always going to be hovering around that two runs an over mark, which makes it pretty hard to win Test matches, especially on flat wickets like we might have here.

Since 2001, teams have enforced the follow-on just 56.60% of the time, as compared to 91% of the time in the 20 years before that. When the lead is less than 300, teams enforce the follow-on just 37.23% of the time. So Kohli’s decision actually aligns with what the majority of captains would have done. Also, captains have realised that not enforcing the follow-on doesn’t hamper your chances of winning. In fact, since 2001, teams that have declined enforcing the follow-on have ended up winning 91.12% of the time, while teams that have enforced the follow-on have won 84.44% of the time.

That too ahead of Graham Gooch, David Gower from England itself & Lara, Sachin, Warne, Steve Waugh, Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Imran Khan, Kallis, Akram from others were far more deserving than this gentleman is mind boggling to say the least about this ‘sham(e)’ of a knighthood!!

Yes. A great and memorable win for me.
Was there at MCG on day 1 with 73,000+ spectators on Boxing day. Ricky Ponting was inducted in the ICC Hall of fame and his car ride at the beginning was a memorable experience.

As a spectator, i can say the damage was done on Day 1 by Mayank Agarwal. Man what a good find india has. From a distance of about 95 meters, he appeared classy, composed and determined. Really enjoyed his batting and session wise approach. Would be hurt if he doesn’t go on to become a good opener for India. He appeared as classy as Kohli who came later.
The man who looked solid was Pujara. In the crowd we were discussing that the sound that Pujara’s bat makes is so different from others. The “Tukkk” from his bat whenever he defended can be heard outside the stadium when he defended. It was a wonderful to note such subtleties. Such a music in cricket can only be heard when the ball hits the middle of the bat.

I read it again. It was an apprehension which was quite one sided at the end of Day 1.

As spectators we witnessed –
1. One of the most defensive field setting. It was almost looking like ODI field setting. This easily robbed 10-15 runs
2. A slow outfield – Nothing was going to boundary unless hit hard. This easily robbed 10-15 runs
3. Indian team playing to a plan. It was almost evident that they had planned to retain as many wickets on day 1 and play most of the day 2.

If we add all the three in perspective, then i would say Ponting singling out Pujara was a mere tactic to score a verbal point, because everyone played slow on day 1, to a plan to save wickets even if they score 20 runs less.

some of his deliveries are very memorable. I think at Trent Bridge he bowled a couple of classical in swingers to account for Buttler and Bairstow followed by a lethal bouncer to get rid of Lords centurian Woakes. Check it out at link below

unfortunately his take home package from tests contracted with bcci is less than what kl rahul makes in 2 months playing ipl. only test runs he is getting bucketloads while rahul is struggling. cricket is unfair.

In the last few decades, Ramakant Achrekar’s name had become so synonymous with being the coach of Sachin Tendulkar that even if he had not produced a single other cricketer of repute before or after him, his position among the Dronacharyas of Mumbai cricket would not have been questioned.

But for many of us who have witnessed Achrekar slogging on the Shivaji Park ground preparing nets and wickets with his students before every practice session and taking the talented ones across the city to play matches on his scooter, the contribution of the man goes much beyond his most illustrious prodigy.

after winning the toss and posting 622/7 declared, if the opposition gets away with a draw against so called “best attack in the world” by our captain, a draw will be like a win for aussies and defeat for india. you know what i mean?

Depends on what kind of pitch it is. I’d take a draw now! Series win is more important than winning this test match. India just have to play sensible cricket now. There are 270 overs left. Even at 4 runs per over, only 1,000 runs to be scored. Australia will have to score at least 800 here overall across 2 innings to turn it around and even then India will still be favourites not to lose.

9 sessions of play. India need 1 good session with bat or ball and it will close the test match out. If it’s the 1st one tomorrow then India will have a good chance to win 3-1.

Australia have to go for risks. They’ll have to score at 4 or above, blow India away when they bat again and knock the runs off again. All this while India are in form. Can’t see it happening…will bet on India victory over draw with 1% chance of Australia win.

I’m delighted for Pant and Pujara. Pujara has batted the 4th most bowls ever at 1,258 in a 4 test series match or less. If he gets a chance again he can beat the record with 100 balls more. Pant has scored 100 in England and Australia now. First Indian wicketkeeper to score a 100 in both countries. He must replace Dhoni in short format IMO. India love SCG.

This is not really Pant’s format. Short format he’ll fair better. Dhoni is an absolute legend and his experience in a world cup is going to be very important. However I think he’s not what he once was. I’d still give Dhoni the nod at 19 WC but sooner or later Pant deserves a proper shot.

Australia won’t win. They don’t seem to have any batting strength. India have really played well this series.

‘At stumps, the hosts were 6 for 236. Marcus Harris made an eye-catching 79 and, if none of his team-mates pass that, he will hold the record for the lowest highest score in a Test series for Australia in 100 years.’

one day to wrap an entire innings. Draw is most likely now. India’s bowling lacks ability to run through tails as shown by Starc/Hazlewood partnership in SCG. Hazlewood, Lyon, Starc, Cummins have been difficult to knock out. India’s coaches should address this immediately since they lost English and SA tour due to this inability of the bowlers.

India have played well. If not for losing 2/3’rds day play they might be in a stronger position. India can still win, Australia can’t now. Job done. Ruthlessness is something India will find hard IMO.

From BBC sport…
Only 25.2 overs were possible on a rain-hit day, meaning that the final day will start half an hour early, at 23:00 GMT on Sunday, with commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra.

It was the first time in 30 years Australia had been forced to follow on in a home Test

India have definitely created some history here. Being as clinical as the Aussies at their best will be tough – they just don’t produce bowlers like McGrath, Lee or Gillespie. Even a Starc. The day India produce super fast strike bowlers wake me up!

Questions will be ASKED of Australia as to how much they have CHEATED prior to last year! It seems the fast bowlers have struggled to reverse swing period! Australia’s biggest loss is that piece of sand paper!

I urge fans of all cricket nations to invent songs on sand paper to troll this pathetic team now! For years of unnecessary sledging they deserve some serious payback.

It’s very unlikely a bowler would be oblivious to how his ball is working for him! If it’s straight for X number of overs and suddenly swings after a bit of work…the first few times it might seem like luck or magic and thereafter just routine! The Australian ethos is not a clean one at all. Behaviour of their players has always been very unpleasant, preying on weaker assumed characteristics of their opponents and some are racist to boot! I’m glad Cricket Australia took a firm position on those 3 players. How they treated Bancroft proves the point. A captain and vice preying on their own young players to do their dirty work is typical.

It is IPL which is bigger than World T20 that has boosted the morale of Indian cricketers. It not the money or the format but the high a player gets from appreciation after a good performance.
Second of course is getting a dressing room and coaches that are truly international.

Every country has decent T20 league. Willow shows most of them. Only one I have not seen is NZ league (and South African live). IPL does have more money but you see same faces everywhere (Watson, Maccullum, Bravo, Gayle – I call them cricket mercenaries ). PSL bowling is much better than IPL. Watch out for Afghanistan..they have very good T20 team. India problem is not bowling. it is batting which cannot do enough on fast wickets. Send this team again to South Africa and their fate will not been much different from current Pakistan tour of SA.

Performance at IPL remains the most exciting and awarding.
Likes of Rishabh Pant, Mayank Agarwal, Shan Kishan and many more become household names even before they got selected to play for India. Their performances are then tracked in Ranji, Duleep etc by the fans and selectors thereby making the entire process one of the best in the world.
IPL it is sir.

Pujara played for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the first three seasons of the IPL. In the 2011 players’ auction, he was bought by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He started for RCB for the fourth season of the IPL before injuring his knee in a match against Kochi Tuskers Kerala. The injury kept him out of action for nearly a year before he returned to domestic cricket at the end of 2011.

In the 2013–14 Ranji Trophy, he played a lone hand against Bengal at Eden Gardens in November as he scored 102, though his side was bowled out for a meagre 225 in response to Bengal’s 303. In the next match against Tamil Nadu at Chennai, he scored a mammoth 269, and struck a 353-run partnership with Jaydev Shah (195) to post a score of 581/6 in response to Tamil Nadu’s 565.

In 2014 IPL, Pujara began the season as Virender Sehwag’s opening partner and was left out after the first six matches in which he made 125 runs at an average of just 25 at a strike rate of 100.80. After having not been picked by any franchise for the 2015 IPL season, he signed for Yorkshire.

He was the leading run-scorer for Saurashtra in the 2017–18 Ranji Trophy, with 437 runs in four matches.

He became the 2nd fastest Indian to get to 1,000 Test runs, during the course of his double hundred against Australia in March 2013, at Hyderabad, where he put on a 370-run record 2nd wicket partnership with Murali Vijay. Only Vinod Kambli was faster.

Pujara is also the 12th fastest of all-time. In terms of the number of tests (11 matches), he joined the legendary Sunil Gavaskar for the quickest Indian to reach the mark. Pujara had a brilliant test series against Australia scoring 419 runs, only second to Murali Vijay’s 430 in which he slammed a double ton’s 204 and two half-centuries (52 and 82).

As Indian opener Virender Sehwag was struggling out of form, it provided the opportunity for Pujara who hit double and triple tons in successive Ranji trophy matches to prove his ability in shorter versions of the game, as he was selected in the 15 member squad for the ODI series against England, but was injured in practice. Following injury, he made his debut against Zimbabwe, scoring 9 runs

don’t think that Test specialist like Pujara can be unearthed from IPL. Need Ranji trophy to be strong for getting Talent like him. They can probably force each IPL team to select 2-3 India Test Players in auction. At least get an IPL contract without playing him.

i agree batting performances have declined. besides Pujara, only Kohli got a century in top 6 batters. I can understand Mayank being a newbie as well as Vihari. But Rahane? He played 7 innings despite a very important 70 in Adelaide, he should have delivered a century. Ditto for Rohit. Senior batsmen should learn to deliver

so why are India persisting with Rahane, Rohit? Surely, they are accountable to score centuries in difficult circumstances and tours? Even Jadeja in his limited chances got a higher score than these two underperforming Mumbaikars, forget Mayank

2000: India’s Yuvraj Singh was named Man of the Series. India clinched the title for the first time under the captaincy of Mohammed Kaif.

2008: India under the leadership of Virat Kohli now india captain, after being bowled out for 159, emerged triumphant by 12 runs under the D/L method and were crowned champions for the second time.

2012: Captain Unmukt Chand played a match winning knock of 111* not out in 130 balls with the help of 6 sixes & 7 fours. Sandeep Sharma also excelled with four wickets under his belt.

2018: The Man of the match was awarded to Manjot Kalra, while player of the tournament was awarded to Shubman Gill. India now holds the most wins record in Under-19 World Cup.

====================

What happened to the performers of U19 WC 2018?

In Indian Premier League Auction 2018, Manjot Kalra was bought by the Delhi Daredevils.

In January 2018, Shubhman Gill was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹1.8 crore (US$250,000) in the 2018 IPL auction.[13][14] He made his Twenty20 debut for Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2018 Indian Premier League on 14 April 2018.

Naseer opinion is just like us..one in billion. He is celebrity so it gets more clicks. He is no expert. Sachin Tendulkar doesn’t make a good cricket umpire or reviewer of movie 🙂

I agree with Naseer on Kohli..Kohli sometimes over does while expressing emotions on field. He is mostly okay expressing things off field. He quickly owned up his mistake in asking supporters of other teams to leave India. IMO these things should be left to politicians. But there is a thought (heard in Willow commentary) that whatever Kohli does, make people see and follow cricket. I guess I am getting old!! I like Dhonis version. You kill opposition with result.

On the movies…Master, Tony are in BO thread on opposite side. Here it is one sided !. Jay who is resident here wouldn’t comment.

I don’t like Kohli and Shastri jodi commenting or advicing on Ashes like they are experts overnight. No need to be defining cricket after one historic series win. Hopefully England destroy Australia! 😛

Yep. World Cup (first ever) against the best side or World Cup on home turf is easily bigger achievement than this. You can only beat what’s in front of you and this is a poor batting unit for Australia and a good bowling unit by today’s standards.

i was thrilled with adelaide test win in 03-04 and managing to draw the series then. this test victory also has similar happiness though really thrilled with bumrah showing. i hope they manage his workload carefully, since he is a key player in white ball as well as red ball

The 03-04 is nearly as big achievement IMO. Consider the 2 teams, on paper it was one of the great test series I can remember. Bucknor pissed me off throughout…with Waugh’s retirement hanging over the series, Sachin’s loss of form, Dravid-Laxman batting an entire day AGAIN, Sehwag destroying Aussies in one day, Waugh having the final say, Tendulkar returning and scoring some 300 runs unanswered plus in the next match of his he hit 194 not out against Pakistan so I think it was some kind of record of nearly 500 test runs without losing his wicket. These were the days I could be bothered to watch cricket from midnight to morning.

There was no McGrath and Warne but still Australia had Lee, Gillespie, Bracken, MacGill. Hardly shabby! Probably better than today still! India had Chopra, Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar, Ganguly and Laxman as top 6. Frightening!

Kohli is better but Shastri is irritating; sounds ridiculous pontificating about strategy and hard work. I am pretty sure even Australian must have worked hard. I blame Aussie commentators who have made India team as beater of World class Australian team. Australia was already in decline and loss of two prolific batsmen have hit them hard.

Great Bong
Stop hating on Hardik & Rahul for saying Kohli is a better batsman than Sachin. Who would want to piss off their boss, seeing what happened to Kumble, I mean if his being a legend couldnt save him, what chances do two under-performing big-talking IPL-mein-world-famous-es have

They dont want to be cricketers but rock-stars, they dress and behave like that, and as far as that is concerned, KoffeeWithKaran is the right venue for them. https://t.co/9lRBJIkajb

though pandya apologised, bcci should have a stringent code of conduct for the contracted players and ipl players. many youth worship our cricketers as heroes and racist and misogynist comments lead the youth to follow resulting in a rape culture. i ak glad vinod rai has issued a show cause notice to both to explain. the actual culprit is karan johar who himself is classless

Indian cricketers Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul were Wednesday issued show cause notices by the BCCI for their comments on women on a TV show that triggered a massive outrage and might prompt the Board to bar players from such appearances.

There was boastfulness but it was par for show. He considers himself West Indian due to his complexion and mannerisms. Followed by these comments. Nothing wrong in portraying to be Casanova. Shastri did all this in 80s.

This season, Karan has got somewhat bold and asking sex questions. I am not sure when it is shown on TV. It should be in 11 O’clock slot.

Pujara moves to #3 in ICC test batsmen ranking behind Kohli at #1 and Williamson at #2. He jumps ahead of Steve Smith who is at #4 despite being absent due to his ban. Pant is at #17 ahead of Rahane at #22 and is the top ranked wicketkeeper batsman ahead of Bairstow at #20.

Australia’s batting lineup. Hayden, Langer, Ponting, Martyn, Katich, Waugh Gilchrist! It’s an extraordinary batting line up. Yes bowling not on paper as good but that batting line up vs indian attack back then which was mainly Khan, Nehra, Pathan and Kumble. Man for man India’s batting was better back then and Australia’s too (by a 50 billion % margin). India’s bowling is comparable and maybe Australia have a better bowling attack now but India had extraordinary batting line up itself back then.

Both sides are weaker today batting wise. India’s batting much weaker and Australia’s bowling is not that much stronger. The other KEY factor is Australia were the best back by a distance. Today Australia are not a patch, in fact it’s a terrible batting line up! The highest score was 79 and it’s a 100 year record Australia have beaten their! The records Australia have broken (the bad ones) tells a story itself that this is no longer the holy grail of test cricket.

So it’s a great achievement but not one of India’s greatest, even a drawn series against the absolute best side can constitute a big success.

Context of history is important too. Steve Waugh regularly said India was the final frontier for Australia so when India defeated Australia in 01, the rivalry was established. Considering England were Australia’s historic foes, it was a clear compliment to India and their exploits in 03 WC that India vs Australia became a huge test series (probably the most competitive one in that 5 year period). Of course in 04 Australia won in India eventually and those 3 back to back series were really crucial for India to give them confidence against Australia.

I’m dead certain if McGrath and Warne played India would have lost but you can only beat what’s in front of you. Lee, Gillespie, Bichel were all good bowlers. MacGill would have played fulltime if not for Warne. The batting line up need not be compared as even with Smith, Warner the 03 line up is WAY stronger.

Bang on.
However the outcome is Tests is loaded towards team having good bowling attack. I would take a better bowling team any day for test matches. In batting current Indian team is definitely not great barring Kohli, Pujara and occasional Rahane. However the lower order is doing good.

I hope BCCI strips Ajinkya Rahane of the Test vice captaincy and hands it over to a more deserving Pujara. This will show an appreciation to Pujara and a warning to Rahane, that he cannot take his place in the team for granted. That may propel both of them to do better. Rahane needs to get some hard runs from a 40/4 position. Runs got at 240/4 do not qualify as hard runs.

“…..What of the smug and giggly Karan Johar, he who thrives on scandal and sensationalism? Could he have reined in this misogyny and vulgar display? Sure. But the filmmaker apparently had as much of a “blast” as the boys.

Johar on his show was like the IPL cheerleaders, egging on the boys to score. He was complicit in encouraging the cricketers to show utter disrespect to women; anything he says now after the furore will not count. This is the same man who had, as Me Too revelations exploded in India, apologised for objectifying women in the song ‘chikni chameli’. Guess what, Karan Johar, you actually succeeded in making ‘chikni chameli’ look respectable! Johar may yet apologise because when the going gets tough, the filmmaker backtracks and goes all meek. Until the next time.

Karan Johar should be in the dock, just like the cricketers, who have been issued notice by the cricket board BCCI partly in response to the public outcry. Are you telling me the board is unaware of the monsters it is breeding, as shallow as the T-20 game they play?

Andy Murray announces Australian Open 2019 could be his last tournament
Andy Murray revealed the upcoming Australian Open may be his final tournament. The former world No 1 has said he wants to bow out at Wimbledon but may not be able to continue beyond Melbourne.
A tearful Andy Murray announced the Australian Open could be his last tournament due to the hip injury that has derailed his career. The 31-year-old Murray revealed the target in the off-season was to make Wimbledon for a one last run at the home grand slam, where he ended the 77-year drought for British men, but now wasn’t sure he’d make it.

Andy Murray has shocked the tennis world by announcing that the upcoming Australian Open may be his final tournament. The former world No 1 has said he wants to bow out at Wimbledon this summer, but may not be able to continue beyond Melbourne. In an emotional press conference at Melbourne Park on Friday, when he had to leave the room briefly after his first attempt to get it started, and needed to pause several times to compose himself, Murray said he wasn’t sure how much longer he could play.

“I’m going to play (in Australia). I can still play to a level — not a level I’m happy playing at,” he said. “But also, it’s not just that. The pain is too much really,”

No one has anything wrong. Everyone is adult. If someone claims that he/she sleeps around and boast things, it may be morally wrong on compass but no garm done except that people will know that cricketers can be Chsanova. KL Rahul was subdued one and he is also getting stick.

You cannot fight your only employer otherwise they could easily be sued for wrongful suspension.

I don’t agree with comments as I think they can be deemed offensive but not so offensive to punish them with suspensions. Kohli coming out and condemning them is a JOKE. We are blokes, we know what blokes CAN be like in a locker room so this haughty behaviour from BCCI and Kohli is hypocrisy as they will have said stuff like this just not on TV.

Pandya is just stupid, should know better to keep such bedroom efforts to himself and not go on TV about it. BCCI and Kohli are just doing publicity for god knows what, probably as #metoo is flavour of the month so they feel compelled to condemn, name and shame as if they didn’t politically they themselves would be harrassed!

I read about your punishment comments but you don’t understand that Suspension is actually not ‘the punishment’. Its for the inquiry that they are suspended and once that matter is reviewed in detail, they will melt out the punishment.

Things just keep getting worse for Hardik Pandya. After being sent home from the ODI series against Australia due to his ‘sexist’ comments on Koffee with Karan, the all-rounder is set to miss out on a big endorsement deal, according to reports. The owners of a top-rated fitness brand have lost interest in Pandya after his remarks on the chat show.

Good article. I’ve met my fair share of brats. The smart ones have an enviable skill. It’s pretty simple and important trait for anyone. Self awareness…don’t take your accomplishments too seriously and certainly tailor your opinions to your audience. Pandya for one thinks all this stuff is important, for him he will soon realise being a professional cricketer which is what got him onto KWK is far more important.

OPINION | Kapil Dev: The greatest cricketer of all time
In whatever he did on the cricket field, Kapil was absolutely thrilling to watch. As a bowler, there was his smooth and accelerating run-up, the high action and the final jump, then the outswinger moving late and away to take the edge, with the occasional off cutter and sharp bouncer thrown in.

While the mightiest indian team ever led by Ganguly underachieved (please read few of my comments earlier) which raises doubts over overpraise he gets, I would give full marks to Kapil Dev for overachieving with a team which was never considered to achieve what it did.
Agree with Guha here.

Dhoni like that is a must in Indian side. I would drop Rayudu or Karthik for Pant. Pant can be explosive and can be groomed via learning from Dhoni. That middle order is an issue. Happy with rest as can be.

MS Dhoni’s Illegal Run Against Australia in 2nd ODI Goes Unnoticed, Sparks Debate Online
Footage of Dhoni not grounding his bat to complete a regulation single in the 45th over is going viral on Twitter.

Dhoni and Karthik’s performances may have ended Rishabh Pant’s chances of getting a game unless he comes in for a batsmen, said Tendulkar.

“You already have Karthik playing as a batter and you already have two wicket-keepers who have contributed to our success. They had that crucial partnership that won us the game. So, if you are looking to have Pant in the team that means you have to either remove a proper batter or remove a bowler and I don’t think you can afford to remove a bowler. So if he replaces a proper batter who doesn’t bowl then it is okay. But if he is going to replace an allrounder, that is going to cost us. One would want to encourage youngsters but we need to have that balance.”

The last WC, Dhawan was stupid in semi holing out at a crucial moment. Plus many totals were treated like T20 matches. Teams were prepared to be score low to keep wickets in hand and be explosive in last 15 overs. India I hope can play this way as an option.

I haven’t read article but Federer is supremely talented. Dhoni is good tactician and very average players. He uses his mind game to become better cricketer. There is no beauty in watching his version of cricket but results are most satisfying.

I think most teams have figured him out…Like Finch put six fielders in circle because he is not good at finding gaps at start of innings and he is not going to take risks to hit over inner circle…This is his bane in terms of scoring rate.
He used to be more fluid in past but I see increasingly mistiming the shots..His fitness lvel is such that he can play for 2-3 more years easily but I want him to retire gracefully (he still gets most applaud when walking in to bat..any ground in India or outside) and pass the baton to a younger player.

I think really he should have considered retirement 2 years ago if he was going to pass on the baton. Basically Pant at 21 has arrived a year late to facilitate any handover. But Dhoni is still a force of sorts. He played 2 not out innings to win the series, I would love to see a belligerent crazy player but that has clearly gone or is used sparingly.

The exact moment when it hit him that he has become a villain isn’t known, but hours after India won the Test series in the first week of this year, Hardik Pandya was on a high about his now infamous chat with Karan Johar. Late to join the squad because of injury, he was talking about the talk-show to anyone who cared to listen — check out, the entire country is talking about me. Words to that effect. It was still in the ‘cool’ territory. Despite taking no part in India’s historic win over Australia, he had stayed in news. On Johar’s show, Koffee With Karan, as the talk-show host baited them with questions about women — the ones they had dated, had sex with, their favourite pick-up line — the 25-year-old Pandya and his teammate K L Rahul, 26, boasted about hooking up with multiple women and also how open they had been about it with their parents and family.

But what was perhaps more damaging was the rapid-fire segment on the show. Here, as Johar asks the two if they had “done it” in a teammate’s room, both Pandya and Rahul respond with a resounding “yes”. From there on, the answers keep lifting the iron curtain between the fans and their cricketing heroes, and Johar keeps pressing. He asks if they have “gone above and beyond to ‘connect’ with a fan after the match”, and, with Johar pushing him, Rahul replies: “Oh, that way? Yeah, I have.” He also goes on to talk about how he once partied till 5 am on the eve of an international game.

It was especially this part of the show that didn’t go down well with the team and the cricket administrators. For, it hinted at a disturbing team culture and also exposed the frailty of the wall around the players that anti-corruption officials keep talking about. Was it so easy for outsiders to sneak into the team hotel? Aren’t there curfew hours before a big game?

In 2017, the BCCI issued a players’ handbook titled ‘100 things every professional cricketer must know’ which was based on Justice R M Lodha’s recommendations. It covered a wide range of topics from fitness and diet, to media interactions and managing finances. Page 77 of the book titled ‘10 things about media interaction’ has a picture, ironically, of K L Rahul (see below), with a caption that says: “Before the interaction is to begin, one could think through a few difficult or ‘trick’ questions that could be asked and the answers one would like to give to them.” It also warns players about the motives of the interviewer: “You need to understand that a journalist could have a motive — to sensationalise or build a story that would be of commercial benefit to their organisation… You could simply say ‘That’s not something I want to talk about’ or ‘I have no comment to make about that’.” A blurb on the page has an M S Dhoni quote: “You have every right to ask me that. It’s your prerogative. But I have the right to not answer.”

I think commenting on the player’s mother is more derogatory but using kaaley will be considered racist in today’s age and time. It is racist but its pretty generic to say – gora for US/UK folks or Kaaley for Africa folks. If calling out kaaley is derogatory then saying someone gora should also be one!

the worst is when people of african origin are in india, little kids and uneducated run after that person mocking him as kalu. also shilpa shetty who won big brother on the basis of being a victim of racism later appeared on a tv program as an african

Pandya is back in ODI team, but if Shubman Gill performs in the next two matches that may be it for KL Rahul. Pandya did most of the loose talking in KWK, it wouldn’t be wrong to say his career has been screwed by Pandya loose talk

Yes. All seems practical given the weather, literally a miracle needed for either or both to be alive. Never understand why these small aircraft get used at all. Considering the Leicester City chairman died flying out of the stadium these are pointless deaths. FLY ON CHARTERED FLIGHTS. This is a horrible story.

when will bcci embrace pink ball d/n test cricket? apparently they refused to have adelaide as pink ball test due to conditions in final session where the ball nips significantly. also we need to capture gabba, perth and sydney next time

Her jubilation was a marked contrast to Osaka’s maiden Slam win last year, when she tearfully hid her face as boos rang around Flushing Meadows in the wake of losing finalist Serena Williams’ tirade at the umpire. This time, Osaka cried with joy and smiled as she became the youngest woman to win back-to-back majors since Martina Hingis in 1998 and the youngest number one since Caroline Wozniacki in 2010.

Her gutsy performance confirms her status as the leading light of tennis’ new generation.

Big thrashing by Windies over the English. Looks like they got the wood over England after the amazing Headingley win with Shai Hope’s knock. True England won that series but this is a serious drubbing.

Disappointed with Windies showing in Bangladesh who present spinning dustbowls to aid their spinners and lucky to win the toss. Else Windies would have shown a better show probably taken one of the tests from Bangladeshis.

Irony is England played 2 spinners, dropped Broad (who could have made a big difference) only for Chase, a part time spinner to deliver 8 wickets in final innings! England obviously lost the test in 1 pathetic session on Day 2. They have underestimated WI and deserve the thrashing.

Djokovic to win. Federer looks likely to retire this season as he is playing clay court season and wanting to have a ‘bit of fun’. Djokovic looks back to his best. Next gen is gearing up but very difficult against Djokovic or Nadal. They will probably win all slams between themselves this year.

Demolished. Congrats to Serbians and all Djoker fans.
Amazing how Tennis keep throwing greats who rule for over a decade or so. I always wonder why can’t we have new players coming and winning every 2-3 years? Seems one who wins, keep winning till his body retires.

rubbish attitude by bengalaru crowd. they should be ashamed to brand a national hero in that manner. and he does not need to walk if umpire says not out. even on replay, one can’t be sure. maybe pujara didn’t hit it.

Dravid similar incident to Pujara. Both aren’t walkers.I guess Bengalaru crowd only jealous that Pujara has achieved success which Dravid has done before and will overtake Dravid with such knocks. Bengalaru venue should be banned from holding any Test matches henceforth

Supreme Court asks S Sreesanth why he didn’t inform BCCI about being approached for spot-fixing
The apex court observed that conduct of Sreesanth, who is facing life ban for his alleged involvement in the sensational spot-fixing scandal, in the entire episode was “not good”

Khurshid argued that as per allegations, Sreesanth was supposed to concede 14 runs in an over but he gave away 13 runs in that over which he bowled to “two of the best batsmen” — Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh.

“At the worst, it could be said that I (Sreesanth) had the knowledge that somebody was trying to do fixing and I should have brought it to the notice of the authorities. If that is the case, the total ban could be up to five years,” he said.